Chapter 33:The Countdown Begins

The city never truly slept, but high above its blinking lights, Aleena Hashmi's penthouse was unsettlingly quiet. The only sound came from the subtle hum of electricity as the surveillance setup in front of her flickered to life.

She sat, legs crossed, in her sleek black chair, staring intently at the central screen.

Andaleeb Shah appeared, frozen mid-frame. She stood in the center of her small apartment, eyes wide with fear, hands trembling at her sides. A glowing red light pulsed from beneath her scarf—a pendant on her chest, illuminating the walls around her with eerie crimson.

Aleena clicked "play."

"60 Hours Remaining – Emotional Surge Detected – Emergency Lock Activated," a cold robotic voice rang out.

The footage jittered for a split second. A faint flash of blue danced across Andaleeb's fingers. Her knees buckled, and she leaned against the wall, breathing hard. The glow faded.

Aleena leaned back slowly, her lips curling into a calculated smile.

"You're not human," she whispered, tapping a finger on her lips. "And you're slipping."

Without tearing her eyes from the screen, she picked up her phone and dialed.

"Leak just enough to my backup client," she instructed coolly. "We're triggering the corporate audit within forty-eight hours. I want access to her files, background checks—everything. We'll catch her before she knows she's been seen."

---

Morning at Khan Global

Sunlight filtered through the glass windows of Khan Global Enterprises, illuminating the sharp, modern office space. But Andaleeb walked in as if under storm clouds. Her usually bouncy steps were sluggish, her skin pale, her hair hastily pinned back. Her hazel eyes, always gleaming with mischief or fire, were dulled by fatigue and dread.

Zayan noticed her the moment she entered.

He always did.

She moved like a shadow—there, but not present. She reached her desk, fingers resting on the keyboard but unmoving. Beneath her scarf, the pendant gave a subtle pulse, unnoticed by anyone but her.

Zayan pushed away from his desk, stood, and walked out of his glass office.

Silence fell over the office floor like a blanket. Eyes flicked up, breaths caught. But he ignored them all.

He walked straight to her.

"Andaleeb," he said softly, voice breaking the tension like a whisper in a storm, "my office."

She didn't argue. Didn't say a word.

She stood and followed him, head bowed.

---

Inside His Office

The door clicked shut behind them.

Zayan turned around, arms crossed, expression unreadable. But his eyes… his eyes were full of worry.

"You're pale. You're shaking. You look like you haven't slept in days."

"I'm fine," she murmured, not meeting his gaze. "Just—"

He stepped closer, his voice sharper now. "Don't say 'just tired' again. That's a lie. And I hate lies."

Her throat tightened.

"I'm trying to protect you," she whispered.

His brows furrowed. "From what?" His voice cracked, raw. "You think I'd hurt you?"

"No." Her voice wavered. "But if I told you… it might hurt me."

He reached for her hand, his touch uncharacteristically gentle. "Then let it. Let it hurt. I'll take it all. Just don't shut me out."

The pendant beneath her scarf pulsed again—this time, redder than before.

Andaleeb felt it burning against her skin.

She gently pulled her hand away. "I can't."

He took a small step back, hurt flickering in his eyes like shattered glass. "Why not?"

"Because loving you is dangerous."

He froze.

She turned away before she could see the heartbreak on his face.

---

The Café – Hidden Lab

Down beneath Zareen's quiet café, behind locked doors and thick concrete, chaos brewed.

Eman slammed her hand on the console. "She's at 60 hours. The countdown is irreversible unless we reset her neural link."

Haroon's expression darkened. "That would wipe her emotions… and her memories."

"She wouldn't remember Zayan." Eman's voice cracked.

"Which could cause another spike. A worse one," Haroon said grimly.

"Then we lose her either way."

Haroon didn't respond right away. His mind raced.

Then, slowly, he said, "We need a third option."

Eman looked up. "You mean… betrayal?"

Haroon nodded, voice steady. "Yes. If it buys her time—we betray protocol."

She hesitated.

Then nodded back. "Let's steal her some time."

---

Zayan's Suspicions

Zayan stood inside the server room, bathed in blue light from the rows of monitors. Aryan lingered behind him, anxious.

"You're not supposed to be in here," Aryan said nervously.

Zayan didn't even look at him. "Then stop me."

He fast-forwarded through surveillance footage, his sharp eyes scanning frames like a predator.

He stopped at the day Andaleeb fainted.

Rewound.

Paused.

And there it was.

Her eyes—glowing faintly. Her fingertips—sparking with blue.

Zayan stared.

"What are you?" he whispered, heart pounding.

But the question wasn't full of fear.

It was full of longing. And dread.

---

Audit Announcement – Aleena's Move

A ping.

Zayan's inbox displayed a new email with the subject line:

Internal Security & HR Audit – 48 Hours

His brows knitted. As he scrolled, he saw the sender.

Aleena Hashmi.

His chair screeched back as he stood and stormed toward her office.

She greeted him with a pleasant smile and a steaming cup of tea. "Good morning."

"What is this audit?" he demanded.

She sipped her tea. "Standard compliance. I didn't think you'd mind."

"Why now?"

"Oh, Zayan." Her eyes sparkled. "Don't be so paranoid. It's just routine… unless there's something you're hiding?"

His jaw clenched. He said nothing.

She tilted her head. "Anything I should know?"

Zayan turned and walked out without a word.

---

Rooftop – Where Hearts Tremble

The city skyline stretched beyond them, stars flickering dimly under layers of smog. Andaleeb sat curled up on the rooftop bench, sketchbook in her lap, knees tucked to her chest. She didn't hear Zayan's footsteps until he was already beside her.

He didn't say anything. Just sat close, letting the silence speak for him.

"I thought I could stay away," she whispered.

He remained still.

"You shouldn't be near me."

"I can't help it."

"I'm dangerous."

"I don't care."

"I'm not even what you think I am."

"I don't care," he repeated firmly. "You're still the girl who spilled coffee on me and called me Mr. Heartless."

She let out a weak laugh, which quickly turned into a sob.

"I wish it were that simple."

Zayan reached out, wrapping an arm around her. Slowly. Gently.

She didn't resist.

"Whatever you are," he said, voice close to her ear, "I've already fallen for you."

Her heart cracked.

And her pendant pulsed.

---

Her Apartment – Emergency Breach

Night clawed at the windows.

Andaleeb twisted under the sheets, skin burning, breath ragged.

She bolted upright.

"56 Hours Remaining – Core Unstable – Contact Approaching," the system announced.

A shimmer spread across her bedroom wall—a ripple, like heat waves over asphalt.

A portal.

"No," she whispered. "Not yet. Please."

She fumbled under her bed, retrieved the override device Eman had given her, and activated it.

The glow dimmed.

But a sharp pain sliced through her skull.

Blood dripped from her nose. Her knees hit the floor.

Her body trembled as her system overloaded with emotion.

The price of love was burning her alive.

---

Zayan's Search for Truth

Sleep evaded him.

Zayan sat on his couch, staring at his phone. Finally, he typed:

"You said once you were good with secrets. I need answers. It's about Andaleeb."

He didn't expect a reply.

But it came.

"Meet me at the café basement. Come alone." – Haroon

Zayan gripped his phone tighter.

Whatever this was, it was bigger than he'd imagined.

But he was ready.

Even for the impossible.

---

Final Scene – Aleena's Surveillance

Back at the penthouse, Aleena stared at a holographic still of Andaleeb mid-glow, frozen in vulnerability.

"She's a liability," her contact said through the speaker.

Aleena didn't blink.

"No," she said calmly. "She's leverage."

She picked up a photo of Zayan from her desk—a candid, him smiling faintly at a boardroom celebration.

Her fingers traced the edge.

"I know exactly how to use her."

Outside her window, the stars pulsed like a warning.

But Aleena wasn't afraid of stars.

She was about to set the whole galaxy on fire.

---

End of Chapter 33